Immigration remains one of the most complex and compelling topics of our time, touching on economics, human rights, policy, and deeply personal stories of hope, struggle, and transformation.
If you’re looking to understand the nuances of immigration policy, hear firsthand accounts from migrants and refugees, or explore the historical context that shapes today’s debates, podcasts offer a terrific way to engage with these multifaceted issues. The following podcast episodes from a wide variety of shows represent some of the most insightful, moving, and informative conversations about immigration from across the podcast world.
99% INVISIBLE – Church (Sanctuary, Part 1)
During the 1980s, Rev. John Fife and his parish at Southside Presbyterian Church initiated assistance to Central American refugees escaping oppression under US-supported authoritarian regimes. These actions would signal the launch of a new and contentious social movement.
FEET IN 2 WORLDS – The Shifting Immigrant Hustle
During the final installment of the season, presenter Shaka Tafari converses with three women whose careers focus on the convergence of employment and migration issues. They examine the most urgent dangers facing immigrant laborers, along with the methods by which immigrants can oppose these challenges and assist each other.
RESETTLED – Jobs
Following Bhutan’s “one nation, one people” policy in the 1980s, Dadi Neopaney’s family fled to avoid losing their livelihood. After years in refugee camps, Dadi resettled in Richmond, Virginia with his wife and son. Despite his background as an educator and journalist, he started over in America wearing costumes and holding roadside signs. Through various positions, Dadi eventually earned a Master’s in social work, became a hospital care manager and US citizen, while still hoping to someday return home legally.
MODERN IMMIGRANT – Katerina Kurteeva’s Immigration Journey From Ukraine
Sixteen-year-old Katerina traveled alone from Ukraine to Canada during an era without phones, making family contact nearly impossible. Despite facing cultural adjustments and communication barriers, she embraced the experience of living abroad. After moving from Canada to the USA for medical school, Katerina became an ophthalmologist and discusses her career, migration path, and sense of identity.
TALKING MIGRATION – What do we know about immigration and crime?
One of the most divisive issues in migration discussions concerns whether cross-border population movement influences crime rates. The inquiry itself implies assumptions about the significance of an individual’s migration history in determining their likelihood of perpetrating or experiencing criminal activity. What insights does criminological research provide regarding the relationship, if any, between immigration and crime?
THE NPR POLITICS PODCAST – How The “Big, Beautiful Bill” Would Change Immigration Policy
The budget reconciliation bill in Congress would alter federal immigration policy through measures like increased border wall funding and restrictions on legal immigrants’ access to public services. White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, immigration policy reporter Ximena Bustillo, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson examine these changes.
AMANPOUR– Immigration Expert David J. Bier
Immigration officials released detained Palestinian Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi today after a judge’s order, following his arrest during a citizenship interview. This occurs as a CNN poll reveals most Americans believe President Trump’s immigration enforcement is excessive. David J. Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, discusses these developments.
BORDER LINES – Is Canada soft on crime? With Kyla Lee
Vancouver criminal defense lawyer and Driving Law podcast host Kyla Lee examines Canada’s criminal justice system, addressing listener inquiries about bail, sentencing, and mental health care. She provides expert analysis on court procedures, discusses contentious issues like involuntary treatment and Gladue reports for Indigenous defendants, and suggests solutions such as supportive housing to tackle underlying crime causes.
IMMIGRATION NERDS PODCAST – How Immigration Impacts the Solvency and Sustainability of Social Security
In this Immigration Nerds Podcast episode, economist Dr. Tara Watson from the Brookings Institution’s Center for Economic Security and Opportunity explains how immigration affects Social Security’s financial stability. Dr. Watson discusses how immigrants contribute more to Social Security than they receive, analyzes demographic challenges from aging populations and declining birth rates, and explores evidence-based solutions using immigration policy to extend the program’s sustainability.
MODERN IMMIGRANT – Why Do Immigrants Change Their Names? With Coach Chao Sun
Eleven years after emigrating from China, Coach Chao Sun shares his journey of self-discovery and redefining his American dream. The conversation explores healthcare system differences between the USA and immigrants’ home countries, plus how displacement affects physical wellbeing. Chao also discusses adopting an American name to gain acceptance and his discoveries about identity and belonging.
THIS WEEK IN IMMIGRATION – Ep 194: What Would a New Birthright Citizenship Rule Mean for U.S. Parents?
In this This Week in Immigration episode, BPC Senior Advisor Theresa Cardinal Brown examines a recent executive order targeting birthright citizenship. Immigration attorney and MacArthur Fellow Margaret Stock breaks down current citizenship law and explains how the order could burden U.S. parents with new financial and legal challenges based on her experience with overseas births. Cornell Visiting Assistant Professor Jacob Hamburger discusses how the policy might impact state and local governments issuing birth certificates and the constitutional federalism questions it creates.
IMMIGRATION NERDS PODCAST – Inspiring Immigration Stories of 2024
Forbes senior contributor Stuart Anderson discusses with host Lauren Clarke his article on 2024’s most compelling immigration stories. Anderson, executive director of the National Foundation for American Policy, highlights remarkable individuals including Ghanaian entrepreneur Albert Oso Asari who built a billion-dollar company despite visa obstacles, six immigrant workers who died in the Baltimore bridge collapse, 82-year-old professor Gil Howard who taught 400 Afghan women to drive, and Congolese refugee Bernard Kimono who went from a Tanzanian camp to the U.S. national soccer team.
THIS WEEK IN IMMIGRATION – Ep 179: Navigating Climate Migration: Urgent Solutions for a Global Challenge
In this episode, we explore climate migration through the Climate Migration Council’s “A Compendium on Climate Mobility.” BPC Senior Advisor Theresa Cardinal Brown speaks with Shana Tabak, Director of Immigration at Emerson Collective and Senior Advisor to the Climate Migration Council, and Elizabeth Ferris, Director of Georgetown’s Institute for the Study of International Migration. They discuss climate migration challenges, the Council’s work, and potential solutions.
MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE PODCASTS – Mapping Global Human Mobility in an Increasingly Complex World
Human movement has grown more complex due to climate change, COVID-19, urbanization, and demographic changes. After pandemic border closures, the last two years brought renewed mobility, fresh displacement crises, climate impacts, and labor migration responding to worker shortages. Global migration flows now mix regular and irregular movement in increasingly diverse patterns, making this evolving landscape difficult to understand.
THE EMPOWERED IMMIGRANT – Mapping Global Human Mobility in an Increasingly Complex World
Human movement has grown more complex due to climate change, COVID-19, urbanization, and demographic changes. After pandemic border closures, the last two years brought renewed mobility, fresh displacement crises, climate impacts, and labor migration responding to worker shortages. Global migration flows now mix regular and irregular movement in increasingly diverse patterns, making this evolving landscape difficult to understand.
THIS AMERICAN LIFE – Abdi and the Golden Ticket
A narrative follows an individual desperately attempting to reach the United States and gain citizenship despite overwhelming challenges. Abdi, a Somali refugee residing in Kenya, receives an extraordinary opportunity when he wins a lottery placing him on a priority list for a U.S. visa. This represents his path to freedom. However, before he can utilize this rare chance, law enforcement begins conducting raids in his area, specifically targeting refugees.
IMMIGRANTLY – Food Is Never Just Food
Food is often romanticized as bringing people together, yet each dish reflects issues of power, privilege, and authenticity. Chef and food activist Jenny Dorsey joins Saadia Khan to examine uncomfortable realities about race, class, colonialism, and food politics, discussing childhood experiences, fine dining myths, and who controls culinary narratives.